Improvement in mouth-harmonicas



C. LIGHTSINGER, Jr. MOUTH-HARMONICAS.

No.173,652, Patented Feb.15,1876.

UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

CASPER LIGHTSINGER, J 3., OF BRATTLEBOROUGH, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR OFONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO E. D. TUTILE, OF WATERBURY, CONN.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOUTH-HARMONICAS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 173,652, dated February15, 1876; application filed January 13, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, (JASPER LIGHTSINGER, Jr., of Brattleborough, State of Vermont, have invented Improvements inHarmonicas, of which the following is a specification The objects of myinvention are- First, so to attach the reeds to the cells of theinstrument that if any should become damaged by being broken or out oftune they could be removed and others substituted without trouble and atslight expense. A reed, a, and reed block, b, together are technicallytermed a reed, which [will designate It, to distinguish from the reed a.

By making the reeds R independent of each other, and fitting them to thecells 0 c by means of the tongue and groove d, each can be readilyremoved and replaced without disturbing any of the others. The expenseof one reed, B, would be small compared with that of a new platecontaining the whole number used on one side of the instrument,

as in the old style.

Second, the block B, being that part of the instrument forming the cells0, becomes very offensive by the absorption of saliva. To prevent this Ienamel the block.

Third, inoutlrpieces of various material have been used, thedifficulties experienced,

The mouth-piece m is made of wood, and enameled. It is attached to theblock B by 'means of the pins 1) 12, one at each end, or by means of thetongue and groove t, the tongue if being an extension of the partitiondividing the cells on opposite sides of the block B. This tongue,fitting into agroove in the mouth-piece 112-, forms a practicallyair-tight joint between the cells.

Fourth, the plates 8 s, forming the sides of the instrument, are made ofcrystallized tin, and are not subject to oxidation. This is cheap andornamental, and preferable over brass or German silver.

Figure 1 is a side view, partially in section: Fig. 2 shows mouth-pieceand part of mouthpiece removed; Fig. 3, reed cell and block;

Fig. 4, section of harmonica through center enameled month-piece m,attached thereto by means of the pins 19 or tongue and groove t.

CASPER LIGHTSINGER, JR. In presence of- WM. S. NEWTON, W. S. HOLLAND.

